The Portland daily press., 1887-09-09
THE CONCORD FIGHT.
Sawyer's Sensation Said to be Based
on a Joke.
An Alleged Remark by the Senator
About Big Money.
Hazen Creates a Breeze by Going
Back on His Bill.

Back OF MS ohis
CONCORD, N. H., Sept 9.-The Senate bri-
berry investigation was resumed this morn
ing. Both parties were present with their
lawyers Several Senators were also in at
tendance.
The first witness called by the counsel for
Kirk ID. Pierce was ish:Commissioner John
II. Kimball of Marlboro. Mass. After being
sworn he testified that he went to Sunapee
lake, Thursday, from Hillsboro, with General
Coroe Of Boston, Mr. Pierce and others. He
met Senator Sawyer at the hotel that even
ing. Mr.. Pierce introduced him. Sawyer
and Pierce appeared to be on friendly terms.
and nothing could be seen in their actions
that indicated any attempt at bribery. Saw
yer remained at the hotel in the party about
two hours that evening, and when Pierce
passed the cigars Sawyer took one from him.
Sawyer was on the lake fishing the next day,
and Pierce was in the boat close by. They
then also appeared friendly.
Colonel Frank H. Pierce. United States
consul at Matanzas, Cuba, was next sworn.
He resided at IIillsboro, and was brother
OF Kirk d. Pierce. He went to Sunapee lake
last Thursday with General Corse, Fish Com
missioner Kimball, his brother and others.
AFTER supper that evening"" continued the
witness, Senator Sawyer called at the hotel,
and my brother introduced our party TO him
soon afterward. 1 stepped outside with the
Senator and had general conversation with
him regarding fishing and other matters. /
subsequently saw Sawyer sitting and smoking
with our party in the hotel. My brother and
the Senator seemed to be on most cordial
thav ahatfad and told cfnriaa NQxf
morning my brother and General Corse visit
ed Senator Sawyer at his camp short dis
tance from the hotel"
Sam X. Paige, lawyer, was then called
Thursday with Gen. Corse and others. Kirk
Pierce joined the party that evening at
Blodgett's landing Saw Senator Sawyer at
the hotel after supper. Kirk Pierce intro
duced the Senator to Corse and the others.
The whole party, including Senator Sawyer
sat in the reception room Of the hotel nearly
two hours. The time was spent In jovial
way. Corse, Sawyer and Kirk Pierce told
stories. Kirk Pierce passed cigars and
Sawyer took one from him. Next morning
witness saw Gen. Corse, Senator Sawyer
and Kirk Pierce together coming from
Sawyer's camp Sawyer and Pierce were
busily engaged in conversation. Kirk Pierce
and Sawyer appeared very friendly Thurs
day evening and Friday morning. and 1t APP
peared as though Sawyer was at the hotel
Thursday evening while witness was alohe
with Senator Sawyer on the veranda OF the
hotel witness said, "They are getting warm
down at Concord"
corporations. There is big pot Of money
In II and man who has a vote is a fool II
he doesn't get some OF it."
That's so" witness answered.
He didn't know as anybody heard the con-
versatOn. The two were alone but short
tima In tn SQuat0r Pitman witness
said he knew nothing OF the alleged bribery
charges at the time Of the talk with Senator
Sawyer dbout the big pot Of money in the
railroad fight.
new facts of Importance having been elected
A Decided Sensation.
A decided sensation was caused In the
House this forenoon when Representative
Hazen, of Whitefeld, who introduced the
famous HaZen, or Boston and Maine, bill an
nounced that he should vote for the Ather-
ton or Concord measure.
Was 1t a Joke?
MANCHESTER, N. H., Sept. S.-The Con-
cord correspondent of the Mirror writes as
follows concerning the alleged bribery:
People will not readily believe that the
Boston & Maine management, a management
signally shrewd, smart and sensible, would
send anybody to the Senate chamber for the
purpose of proffering senator bribe to
make speech for that road. On the face of
it the thing is absurd. If either the Boston
& Maine, or the Concord road. should have
any inclination to strive to buy Senator's
influence, neither would be so supremely
stupid, so egregiously an ass as to take any
such public demOnstrative step as it Is allag-
ed Mr.. Kirk D. Pierce took last week. An
act Of criminality like unto that would not
be entered upon in any SUCH bold, reckless
way
much stock in the allegation outside Of the
Concord camp. OF course they do not doubt
that Senator Sawyer Is sincere in his convic-
tiOn that an attempt has been made TO brihe
him. They realize that no senator would go
straight to work and manufacture such a ri
diculous yarn out Of whole cloth unless he
was insane or a fool. and so IL is the belief
that Senator Sawyer has misunderstood
some situation in which he and Mr.. Pierce
men have been quite friendly within
few days. They passed Sunday at
the mountains together. The foundation for
the attempted corruption story, Mr.. Pierce
has explained under oath, and will be ac-
Quilted in due time. He says that last week
and call Senator Sawyer out for the purpose
of talking with him about the lard bill At
ter speaking on this subject for a few mo-
ments, during which Mr.. Pierce expressed
himself as somewhat interested In lard legis-
lation, Senator Sawyer observed jestingly
that there was only one thing that was of
any account before the legislature and that
was the railroad fight He intended to make
a speech for the Concord road and one for
the Boston a. Maine road, and get 5000 for
each. This, Mr.. Pierce says, Senator Saw
yer said in a laughing way, to which he re-
piled in similar vein something OF this pur-
port: IF you win make better speech for
the Boston & Maine road than you do for the
Concord and speak for that road last l will
give you $1,000
.'Mr. Pierce, under oath, has stated that
the entire conversation, at that time, after
they had got through talking about lard,
was in trifling humorous style, each evil
IDENTIFY so considering it. Mr.. Pierce was
with the Senator over Sunday, during which
time the railroad question was not brought
up and he cannot understand how Senator
Sawyer can have made himself think that an
attemnt was madp tn hriha him.